North India’s top eco-hotels

Our follow-up to Mandip and Anita Singh Soin’s article on eco-friendly hotels in our current issue

Sure you want to travel responsibly and do the right thing as far as the environment goes. Sure you want to ensure that the benefit of tourism trickles down to local communities. And sure you don’t want to give up on your 600-count Egyptian cotton sheets. But you don’t have to say ecotourism pioneers Mandip and Anita Singh Soin. Here’s a sampler of their pick of India’s sexiest top 30 eco-friendly hotels (full list on stands now):

Mary Budden Estate Tucked away in a corner of Kumaon, the Mary Budden Estate sits within the spectacular Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. A family-run home-stay; it’s housed in a fully restored, 19th-century heritage structure. The hotel runs on solar power and all its water comes from rainwater harvesting. One would think it would be practically impossible to be located in such a remote area and not have a carbon footprint, but the Mary Budden Estate proves that one can truly live comfortably and respect the environment at the same time.The hotel seamlessly blends into its surroundings and you can seesome beautiful birds right outside your window at times. Take an early morning walk and you might spot some great local wildlife like the elusive ghoral and the Indian red fox.Mary Budden Estate, Binsar, Uttarakhand, (+91 98101 85101; www.marybuddenestate.in)

Ananda–in the Himalayas There are reasons why we love Ananda as much as we do and being green is just one of them. The hotel has adopted various measures including the use of recycled water for gardening and employs pens and bags made of biodegradable matter. Ever so often, the hotel goes on an afforestation drive to increase the forest cover in the surrounding hills. It also encourages its guests to not ask for fresh linen every day, and many environmentally-conscious guests are more than happy to comply.Ananda–in the Himalayas, Narendra Nagar, Tehri–Garhwal, Uttaranchal (+91 1378 227 500; www.anandaspa.com)

The Serai, Jaisalmer The Serai is a super-luxe tented property set on the dunes, 30kms outside Jaisalmer. All of their 21 canvas tents come outfitted with verandas and sittings rooms, while the six Luxury Tented Suites also offer private gardens and plunge pools. In spite of being in the middle of the desert, the hotel is eco-friendly. It practices rainwater harvesting, uses waste paper as fuel for heating and, in order to preserve precious groundwater, has installed a state-of-the-art water recycling and filtration system for its swimming pool.The Serai Jaisalmer, Bherwa, Chandan, District Jaisalmer (+91 11 4606 7608; www.the-serai.com)

Devi Garh Set in a traditional Rajput fort-palace 45 minutes outside of Udaipur, Devi Garh is a 39-suite luxury boutique hotel that marries contemporary amenities with heritage sensibilities. The hotel cements its commitment to the environment with its implementation of measures like only using bags made of recycled paper or recycling and reusing waste water for the purposes of organic farming. The hotel has even funded a project to construct the check-dams that store Delwara village’s water.Devi Garh, Delwara, NH-8, near Eklingji Udaipur, District Rajsamand (+91 295 328 9211; www.deviresorts.in)

Rambagh Palace Rambagh was originally a modest home built for the Queen of Jaipur’s favourite handmaiden but was converted into a palace in 1925. The heritage hotel generates a portion of the electricity it uses through solar means and has installed energy efficient CFL lighting across the property. Rainwater is harvest and recycled to nourish the beautifully manicured lawns. Rest assured, that while living at this bastion of old world charm, the latest in eco-friendly initiatives will maximise your experience and minimise your carbon footprint.Rambagh Palace, Bhawani Singh Road, Jaipur (+91 141 221 1919; www.tajhotels.com)

Wild Mahseer This lodge gives you the opportunity to sample the life of a colonial tea planter. Spread over 22 acres, Wild Mahseer is tranquil without lulling you into a boredom-induced slumber. The property consists of a Heritage Bungalow and three additional Tea Bungalows. It only utilises homegrown produce and practices rainwater harvesting. Furthermore, the hotel is in the process of expanding on its eco-friendly credentials with the addition of solar power based systems.Wild Mahseer, Addabarie Tea Estate, Sonitpur, Balipara, Assam (+91 9435 197650;www.wildmahseer.com)

The Park The swanky hotel sits pretty on Connaught Place. With an emphasis on suave style and discreet luxury, the hotel has 220 rooms, all fitted with low-energy consuming LED lights. The hotel focuses on using organic food, practices rainwater harvesting, uses solar power to heat its water and a unique VFD system to maintain water pressure so that extra water is not wasted. Moreover, all their garbage bags are biodegradable.The Park, New Delhi, 15 Parliament Street, New Delhi (+91 11 2374 3000; www.theparkhotels.com)